SarajevoWednesday 14th November 2007

Universal Declaration On Animal Welfare

The case for a Universal Declaration On Animal Welfare (UDAW)

1. No global agreement on importance of animal welfare

2. Animals matter in and of themselves – they have intrinsic value

3. Animals matter to us – we have an ethical responsibility to care

4. Animals matter to people – animal care can lead to positive impacts on human welfare and the environment

5. Animals therefore matter to the UN

6. The time is right for a UDAW

What Is Animal Welfare?

‘The physical and psychological state of an animal’

Is it fit?

Is it healthy?

Is it free from suffering?

‘Five freedoms’ used to assess welfare

What Is Animal Welfare?

Sentience:

The capacity to feel pain and suffer. Implies a level of conscious awareness.

Australian Animal Welfare Strategy 2005

“The use of animals carries with it an ethical responsibility to ensure the welfare of such animals to the greatest extent

practicable”

OIE International Animal Health Code – 2006; Part 3; Section 3.7; Chapter 3.7.1; Guiding Principle 7

Why Is Animal Welfare important?

Why Is Animal Welfare Important?

Animal Welfare Initiatives & Legislation:

– Amsterdam Protocol includes recognition of sentient beings– UNESCO recognition of Humane Education – Australian government Animal Welfare strategy– World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) animal welfare standards– Developing country recognition e.g AWAKE– International Federation for Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)

recognition of sentient beings– Increased recognition of animal welfare in academic communities– Rapid growth in organic, humanely sourced products – Fast Growing Animal Welfare Movement

What makes it even more urgent?

Social Development

HungerPoverty Reduction

Human Health

Genderequality

Disaster management

Environmental

sustainability

UN Millennium Development

Goals

Animal Care protects Animal Welfare

with positive effects on

Human HealthDisaster

management

Poverty & hunger

reduction

Social Development

Environmentalsustainability

What makes it even more urgent?

Who cares?

What Is The UDAW?

An agreement among people and nations to recognize that animals are sentient and can suffer, to respect their welfare needs and to end animal cruelty – for good.

What Will Be The Impact Of A UDAW?

Establish the status of animal welfare as an international issue and therefore:

– Encourage governments to improve their national animal welfare legislation;

– Provide a basis for animal welfare legislation in countries where it does not already exist;

– Recognise the reality of animal welfare as a key factor of humanitarian & environmental policy making;

– Encourage those industries which use animals to keep welfare at the forefront of their policies;

– Improve public awareness of the importance of animal welfare;

– Inspire positive change in public attitudes towards animals.

Is There Official Support For A UDAW?

• Federation of European Veterinarians (FVE)

• World Organisation For Animal Health (OIE) - 169 Chief Veterinary Officers

• Minister of Environment & Forests, India,

• Minister of Agriculture, New Zealand,

• Markus Kyprianou, European Commissioner,

• Minister for Science & Technology, Kenya,

• Gitte Seeberg MEP, • Costa Rican President Oscar Arias

Many hundreds more groups supporting

worldwide

Is There NGO Support For A UDAW?

Political Timeline

Official government support

Regional inter-governmental forum support– EU, ASEAN, AU, PAHO

FAO support

G77 support

UN General Assembly Resolution Mass Public Declaration2010

Universal Declaration On Animal Welfare

Public Communication

The public face - aims

• Build support for the UDAW political campaign

• Build the world’s largest animal welfare petition

• Build the foundations for a united global animal welfare movement

The Animals Matter Petition

Personal Declaration

“I will continue to devote my career to animal welfare, and

contribute to the study of animal ethics”

• Personal statement of intention• Reflects values of the UDAW• Applies to my life – my sphere of influence• Publish on personal profile on UDAW web site, propagate

through Hyvej, My Space, FaceBook, Orkut etc.

Who owns the UDAW?

• Universal ownership

• National Declaration• State, County, City, Town Declaration• Our declaration – companies/organisations

• My Declaration – individuals, households

Public

Political

Why get involved – animal welfare groups

Become part of the world’s first global animal welfare initiative

Use your work on the Declaration to:

• unite with AW groups working towards a single global goal

• open new doors

• influence new audiences

• bolster your animal welfare projects

• engage existing supporters

• reach out to new supporters

Open new doorsThe Humane Education Trust, a small South African humane society, drew the attention of South African Opposition Leader Sandra Botha, through their work in promoting the UDAW in South Africa.

Talk to the publicEcuadorian Animal Protection Society Protección Animal Ecuador have collected over 10,000 petition signatures through their website and at public events which also invited children speak out for animals

Bolster animal welfare projects

ProAnimal from Chile have stated that a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare will support their lobbying of the Chilean Government to raise the profile of animal welfare in national legislation.

Engage existing supporters

The ASPCA sent an e-alert to 300,000 supporters and got 50,000 petition signatures

                                                                                                                                        

                                                                   The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is asking for your help, ASPCA supporters. The UK-

based group has launched the “Animals Matter To Me” campaign, which represents the biggest-ever global animal welfare initiative linking the entire animal welfare movement under one strategic goal—global recognition that animals are sentient beings, capable of feeling pain and suffering. As such, WSPA is seeking 10 million signatures to let governments of the world know that we are serious about achieving a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at the United Nations.

Reach new audiences The Humane Education Trust of South Africa collected over 65,000 petition signatures through one college alone - the Johannesburg College of Etiquette and Finishing – now these young women are learning more about the Trust’s work in South Africa as part of their education

How do they do it?

Animal Friends Croatia have collected over 33,000 Petition signatures using simple methods like setting up a stall at a local event, collecting signatures from super market shoppers and sending petition forms to schools and colleges

What You Can Do• Political Lobbying

– City/Region Declarations– Corporate Declarations– Local => National Lobbying – Ministers for Agriculture/Environment

• Gather public support

– Join at www.animalsmatter.org/join– Advertise the UDAW on your website or at local

events– Collect signatures & personal declarations

Contacts

Animals Matter website:www.animalsmatter.org

Join atwww.animalsmatter.org/join

UDAW email: udaw@wspa-international.org

Questions?